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With Raleigh, it's more meaningful to ascertain the serial number especially the letter prefix which determines the production year of the frame that may often bracket the brochure "year". 1971-1981 not Carlton badged Professionals for the British market.Įven more than most Raleigh models of this era, dating and identifying Professionals can be a bit of a minefield especially if one falls into the "brochure trap" of trying to reconcile production machines with the blandishments of a paper brochure. With a huge firm like Raleigh with a global market for which specialised products were developed, it's essential to define terms so this article concerns itself solely with Carlton-built Raleigh Professionals for the US Market only c. The final version and also Worksop-built, the Mark V, was based on the Tour de France winning Raleigh Team machines built by the SBDU. In production from 1971 to 1981 with no fewer than four "marks" or versions, the Professionals Marks II-IV were built by Carlton in Worksop rather than by Raleigh in Nottingham and were essentially rebadged variants of the Carlton Giro d'Italia frame. This article examines the various marks and sub-variations of the Raleigh Professional Marks II-V which was Raleigh's top of the line racing machine for the US market from 1971 onwards and post 1974 exceeded only by the Raleigh SBDU Ilkeston-built Team Professionals. For those fortunate enough to own one, then or now, it remains one of the most distinctive and pleasing of racing machines in appearance and ride. Its trademark "blue mink" and silver paint, gold lug lining, lashings of lustrous chrome, characteristic "fastback" rear stays and all that much coveted Campagnolo componentry made it one of the most aesthetically pleasing and desired lightweights of the era and often a "pipe dream" machine for a generation of young cyclists on account of its very high cost.
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One of the most iconic of racing bicycles during the 1970s Bike Boom in America, the Raleigh Professional also represented the heyday of the marque in the country.